dearest to them and fled to the protection of the city walls . Lars Porsena came nearer ; he captured Janiculum ; and so great was the alarm of the Roman soldiers that they ran headlong across the bridge and into the town, as frightened as the women and children of the country .
Out spake the Consul roundly : The bridge must straight go down , For , since Janiculum is lost , Naught else can save the town .
Then a brave Roman named Horatius stepped forward and spoke to the Consul:
Hew down the bridge , Sir Consul , With all the speed ye may ; I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. In yon strait path a thousand May well be stopped by three. Now who will stand on either hand , And keep the bridge with me?
Then out spake Spu'ri- us Lar'ti- us ; A Ram ni-an proud was he: Lo, I will stand at thy right hand, And keep the bridge with thee." And out spake strong Her-min'i-us; Of Tit'i-an blood was he : I will abide on thy left side , And keep the bridge with thee.
Soon Porsena and his followers were shouting with laugh ter to see the dauntless three " take their stand to drive back an army. There was terrible fighting ; but all the while i Horatius, by T. B. Macaulay.
28 STORY OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE
THE ATTEMPTS OF TARQUINIUS 29
- the Romans, - consul, fathers, and plebeians, were breaking down the bridge . It was ready to crumble . " Come back, come back, Horatius! , Loud cried the Fathers all . Back, Lartius! back, Herminius! Back, ere the ruin fall!
Lartius and Herminius darted back over the swaying timbers, and Horatius stood alone on the farther shore between the
river and his sixty thousand foes . Then he sprang into the flood, wounded , and weighed down by his armor as he was . And when above the surges
They saw his crest appear, All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry , And even the ranks of Tus'ca -ny Could scarce forbear to cheer.
Camuccini
HORATIUS KEEPING THE BRIDGE
He swam bravely to the landing-place ; he had saved his country.
And wives still pray to Ju'no For boys with hearts as bold As his who kept the bridge so well In the brave days of old .
Even after this , there was sore trouble in Rome , for Lars Porsena besieged the town and famine set in . Then Ca'i -us Mu'ci- us, a noble young Roman , made his way into the enemy's camp to kill the king . By mistake, he slew, not the king, but his secretary . When he was brought before Lars Porsena , he was threatened with being burned alive if he did not reveal whatever plots had been made. He stretched forth his right hand and held it in the fire that was burning on the altar. See , he said to theking, how little those think of the body who have gloryin view . Lars Porsena was too brave a man not to appreciate bravery, and he ordered the young man to be sent home unharmed. Mucius told him that three hundred other youths were sworn to have his life ; and Lars Porsena soon asked the Romans to make a treaty of peace with him . Caius Mu
cius was richly rewarded by his countrymen , and the name
30 STORY OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE .
MUCIUS HOLDING HIS HAND IN THE FIRE
